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A south westerly at Newburgh Sailing Club comes off the coast at an angle, and the hills to the south ensure
a gusty and shifty wind to test competitors. This combined with a reaching start, a flooding tide and starboard
roundings provided lots of challenges for the 23 helms who attended the Scottish Solo Travellers event on the
21st June.
The new entries to the class continue to dominate in the stronger winds which have been a feature of the series
to date and in the first race the new boys were to the fore at the very busy first mark. The run into the tide
saw some take the direct route in the worst of the foul tide. Some went left to get out of the main channel
whilst Kevan Gibb of Largo Bay SC went extreme left to commune with the reeds and the ducks in the slack water
up the far shore. This strategy worked and Kevan arrived first at the leeward mark and steadily increased his
lead as the race progressed. Jim Sinclair of East Lothian YC establishing a safe second position and was followed
home by Robbie Wilson of Wormit SC.
The second race was a repeat of the first with Kevan starting at the pin end in the favourable tide, leading Jim
around the first mark and the rest of the course but without the substantial lead he accumulated in the first race.
Jim threatened but did not succeed in overtaking and third place was again taken by Robbie Wilson.
After a break for lunch the tide had turned and Robbie took advantage of a substantial lift and slack water up the
clubhouse shore to fetch the mark and disappear down the run never to be caught. At the first mark Kevan and Jim
were well down the fleet but whilst Kevan fought back to second place Jim retired and third place was taken by
Micky Todd who commutes from Spain for the pleasure of competing in the Scottish Solo Travellers Championship.
After discard the event was won by Kevan Gibb followed by Robbie Wilson and Jim Sinclair. Racing was tight
throughout the fleet with all competitors receiving the usual warm welcome from the members of Newburgh Sailing Club.
Alistair Angus #4474
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